Holiday travel can put many on the roads over the next two weeks, and more traffic can mean greater risk of crashes.

According to KDOT last year’s Christmas weekend saw 438 car crashes across Kansas, with one fatality and 90 injuries. New year’s weekend resulted in 464 crashes, five fatalities nd 140 injuries.

Wearing your seatbelt is the most effective way to avoid serious injury r death. nearly half of those who die in crashes are not belted.

According to KDOT over the last five years, 40% of the crash fatalities in Geary County were unbuckled.

This holiday season the Kansas Traffic Safety Resource Office and State Farm are putting the spotlight on seatbelt safety and encouraging seat belt use with an awareness effort called “Be Seatbelt SAFE for the Holidays.”

This campaign includes a special assortment of seatbelt-safety literature from the KTRSO that is being made available at select State Farm agent offices. Literature is free and covers such topics as Kansas seatbelt law, enforcement and fines, Safe buckling practices for pregnant women, Kansas distracted driving laws, The SAFE ( Seatbelts Are For Everyone ) teen driver safety program which promotes seatbelt use and other safe driving practices in 161 high schools in 67 counties across Kansas, including Junction City High School.

In Junction City, State Farm Agents LaDonna Junghans and Karen Jameson will have this literature available at their offices.